As the planning for the 16th annual 2015 directory starts to take place I wanted to take a moment to talk about some of the past and look to future goals and how we, collectively, can reach those goals.

Silver City's newest tile mural. The mural installation was part of the Mimbres Regional Arts Council collaboration with Syzygy Tile and the CLAY Festival.

With the ending of the MN Tile Festival last year, the Handmade Tile Association has taken a different tack to represent our members. We have refocused our resources and energies to cosponsoring other groups events like the CLAY Festival in Silver City NM, and the Northern Clay Center's American Pottery Festival tile workshop. We made sure our presence was seen at lots of other events such as Coverings, Society of American Mosaic and the Moravian Tile Festival to name a few. Our main distribution method since the beginning of HTA has been individual members handing out directories at their studios, art festivals, gallery shows and resource centers. This has been a very effective way to leverage our limited resources to get the directories out to 10,000 people every year.

The juried show theme at this year's ATNW Tile Festival is "Feathered Friends". This feathered friend is by Clare Dohna.

A large, critical goal for us is to find, identify and develop more leaders in HTA to promote handmade tile around the country. As we start to gear up for 2015, we will be asking members how they can participate more to get our presence out to more places.

Our paid membership hovers around 100 members from across the country. We have over 2000 people that follow us through our newsletters and social media. To get to the next level of PR for our handmade tiles, it is imperative that our membership reaches out to even more artists, designers, architects, contractors and education departments, to introduce them to handmade tile and then either engage them further or follow up with them, to make sure they know the benefits of using handmade tile in their upcoming projects or to purchase these tiles as art.

We are a volunteer organization. The only way we can grow to our full potential is through individual effort. If you find yourself with available time, energy or desire, please contact the

Annual Twin Cities Arts and Crafts Show and Sale has a new name The Twin Cities 20th Show "From Mission to Modern" is still the largest event in the Midwest showcasing mission furniture and accessories of the American Arts and Crafts Movement (1890 - 1920), but now will include other 20th movements including Art Moderne, Art Deco and Mid Century. It will still be held at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds in the Progress Center Building on Saturday September 20th and Sunday September 21st furniture, metalwork, pottery, textiles, art and lighting; everything from Stickley, Limbert, Roycroft, Rookwood and the esteemed Minneapolis Handicraft Guild. High quality reproductions will be for sale as well. The ations leading dealers will be on hand to answer questions and advise on how to decorate your home.

Saturday September 20th from 9 am - 5 pm and Sunday September21st from 11 am - 4 pm at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds Progress Center Building. Admission is only $7. For more information call 651-695-1902

Forrest's work ranges from complex vessels to intricate tile murals, many featuring image transfer designs inspired by nature. In this one-day workshop, the artist will discuss his approach to making, as well as teach the image transfer process. NCC will provide leather-hard pieces for practice and all required materials. You may choose to bring any favorite tools, but be sure to bring a notebook and a sense of adventure. Presented in partnership with the Handmade Tile Association.

The Handmade Tile Association directory is your chance to showcase your newest work or installations. Getting them professional photographed is highly recommended. It usually does not cost as much as you think and can create many more sales with a great photo.

attendance figures and the smiles on everyone's faces. Hands-on workshops were were well attended with topics as diverse as Patrick Shia Crabb's Raku: A Deconstructive Approach to Paul Lewing's New Directions in China Painting, Kathryn Allen's Architectual Ceramics to Diego Valles' Mata Ortiz Pottery. Fabulous lectures and panel

discussions by artists, archaeologists and adobe preservation experts kept audiences engaged while children were busy with CLAYplay workshops that focused on Exploring Your Wilderness Heritage to free form Mud Fun where kids could just get down and dirty with clay. Two major juried exhibitions, a CLAYfest Market and participating gallery

exhibitions kept people looking at and purchasing ceramic art. Top it off with a street dance and a welcoming Silver City community and call it all a major success. Come join us for CLAY 2015 -

Submitted by Lee Gruber

Spotlight on artists for 2014...

If you are next,

gather any new images, information or news you would like to be highlighted. Send them to the HTA by the first of your month.

Belvedere Art Tile

September

North Prairie Tile

September

Syzygy Tileworks

September

Fay Jones Day

October

Martha Coursey Mosaic Tile Works

October

Tile Restoration Center

October

Pewabic Pottery

November

Untapped Resource

November

Encore Post of the Month

We are recognizing our highest liked post of the month on our Facebook page. Send us your best and see if you can win this prestigious honor

To commemorate the centennial of Britain's involvement in the First World War, ceramic artist Paul Cummins and stage designer Tom Piper conceived of a staggering installation of ceramic poppies planted in the famous dry moat around the Towe...See More